The present invention relates to an apparatus for granulating corn-cob mix and for conveying the granulate into a silo, a transport truck or the like, including a mill comprising a blower and a conveying pipe joined tangentially to the blower.
It is known that corn-cob mix (hereinafter referred to as "CCM") may be granulated and that the granulate may be conveyed pneumatically into a silo or onto a transport truck in the field. Use has already been made for this purpose of mills comprising an integrated blower and a tangential pneumatic conveying pipe, which were driven by the P.T.O. shaft of a tractor or of a goods vehicle diesel engine. A hopper preceding the mill was supplied with material for milling from a tipper or from a pit or reception tank by means of a conveying screw and this material trickled into the mill, being adapted to the mill performance in its quantity by means of a control slide, or was forced fed into the mill by means of a ramming screw. The trickling feed of CCM may lead to difficulties in view of the commonly very high humidity content of up to 50% and more, and the supply by means of a ramming screw is very problematical since a very precisely matched control operation, or a mill operation at less than capacity, would then be required to prevent clogging.
It is an object of the invention to provide means such that the feed of material to be milled may be set once and for all to the mill, without having to perform any complementary governing operation.